Labor's Edge: Views from the California Labor Movement

L.A. Stadium Project Means 23,000 Jobs

The California legislature approved of a bill that would allow expedited judicial reviews of any legal challenges to a proposed downtown Los Angeles NFL stadium and renovation of the neighboring Los Angeles Convention Center. Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, says the action is:

a significant step forward in the creation of 23,000 good middle-class jobs for construction and hotel workers, stage hands and grips and janitors. This is our economic stimulus package and it will be financed with zero public dollars. The LA Labor Movement worked hard to score a major victory for all Angelenos.

The project will create some 12,000 full-time jobs during construction and 11,000 permanent jobs to support the Event Center and Convention Center.

The proposed stadium will be built by the sports and entertainment company AEG. The project has won the support of a broad-based coalition, which included labor, business, community and environment groups, including Natural Resources Defense Council and the California League of Conservation Voters.

The privately funded stadium will be called Farmers Field after the Farmers Insurance Group of Cos. bought the naming rights.